DRINKING WATER
Rural North Texas Community Cuts Non-Revenue Water By 42% With Pipeline Leak Detection Technology
Discover how a city solved its non-revenue water challenge by rapidly pinpointing three hard-to-find leaks in 13 miles of aging pipeline using a free-swimming acoustic tool.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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Denver Water Protects Customers With Data-Driven Lead Reduction Program
Denver Water is committed to delivering a safe, reliable water supply to its customers. The water provided to homes and businesses is lead-free, but lead can get into the water as it moves through customer-owned, lead-containing household fixtures, plumbing, and water service lines—the pipe that brings water into the home from the main in the street.
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![1162198636-parker-dam]( "Mussel Fouling Prevention At Parker Dam")
Mussel Fouling Prevention At Parker DamAtlantium's HOD UV system was chosen by the US Bureau of Reclamation to prevent mussel fouling in dams. The system adjusts UV dose rate based on water quality and has been installed in multiple locations.
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![Harmsco Solutions For Small Community Water Supply]( "Harmsco Solutions For Small Community Water Supply")
Harmsco Solutions For Small Community Water SupplyThe Township of Shenandoah, Virginia was forced to comply with new regulations being enforced by the United States EPA concerning the removal of Cryptosporidium and Giardia Cysts from surface waters. Previously, no filtration was required.
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![PalmCoastCaseStudy]( "Color Reduction From RO Concentrate")
Color Reduction From RO ConcentrateThe City of Palm Coast, FL was experiencing elevated color in the concentrate stream being directed to the lime softening facility to recover as drinking water. In an effort to meet secondary color standards at the lime plant, this water quality issue limited the volume of the concentrate able to be recovered.
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![OzoneOnDemand]( "Ozone-On-Demand™ Reduces Water Treatment Cost By 20%")
Ozone-On-Demand™ Reduces Water Treatment Cost By 20%Pinnacle Ozone Solutions’ new generation of smart Ozone-On-Demand (OOD™) generator and control technology can help significantly reduce the cost and complexity of ozone water treatment.
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![900-series-monitor]( "ECI Solves MRO's Chromium Contamination Problem With 900 Series Monitor/Controllers")
ECI Solves MRO's Chromium Contamination Problem With 900 Series Monitor/ControllersCr(VI) is a regulated contaminant in drinking water because it can cause gastrointestinal, liver, and developmental toxicity in humans when ingested. A facility was unable to discharge to their POTW because the CR(VI) concentration in their wastewater stream was over the regulated discharge limit.
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![GettyImages-1345400723_450_300]( "Challenging Aeration Design Standards Results In Lower Cost, Higher Performance")
Challenging Aeration Design Standards Results In Lower Cost, Higher PerformanceBy using airflow-based aeration controls, the Brockton, MA wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was able to reduce energy usage by 23% while producing higher-quality effluent.
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![las-vegas-mccarthy-WTP]( "Liquid Oxygen Supply For Ozone Generation")
Liquid Oxygen Supply For Ozone GenerationLearn about a project to procure and fabricate large bore piping to reduce field installation.
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![CaseStudies_CampodeDalias-1.jpg]( "Seawater Desalination Using RO Membranes To Support A Thriving Agricultural Economy")
Seawater Desalination Using RO Membranes To Support A Thriving Agricultural EconomyAs the agriculture economy boomed, needs for freshwater demanded by irrigation, tourism and the local community also grew in Campo de Dalías, a coastal region on the Mediterranean Sea. As a result, the region faced overexploitation of groundwater aquifers. Read the full case study to learn how Toray was selected as the sole membrane supplier for a two-pass system for a newly implemented national desalination plan.
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![FlowControl]( "AMERICAN Flow Control Answers The Call")
AMERICAN Flow Control Answers The CallIn late March 2016, an estimated 60-foot wide by 35-foot deep sinkhole developed in Tarpon Springs, Florida, leading to the evacuation of several homes. The sinkhole engulfed part of a nearby road and damaged two sewer lines and a water line.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Circuit Board Cleanliness Testing10/29/2021
Contamination of circuit boards can bring about severe degradation of insulation resistance and dielectric strength. Cleanliness of completed circuit boards is, therefore, of vital interest. For those companies who have established circuit board cleaning procedures, the MIL Spec P-28809 has been used as a guideline for control. Now a simple "on line" test for the relative measurement of ionic contamination has been developed.
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Application Note: Continuous Monitoring Of Drinking Water Provides Assurance Of Safety9/28/2005A water utility in Ohio wanted to learn more about the variability of water quality parameters such as pH, ORP, turbidity, and chlorine. Previously, most of these parameters had been measured by spot sampling protocols with only a few measurements during a daily period. In order to more accurately assess the water variability, the utility used a YSI 6920DW Drinking Water Multiprobe
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Veterinary Drug Residue Analysis Using The AutoMate-Q40: An Automated Solution To QuEChERS10/1/2014
QuEChERS is a Quick-Easy-Cheap-Effective-Rugged-Safe extraction method that has been developed for the determination of pesticide residues in agricultural commodities.
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Biofouling Control In Cooling Towers With A Halogen Stabilizer10/22/2020
Biofouling in cooling towers is undesirable because it can reduce heat transfer efficiency, restrict water flow, and accelerate corrosion rates. Of even greater concern is the fact that pathogen growth in cooling towers can lead to disease transmission. Given the favorable growth environment of a cooling tower, these microorganisms can reproduce, proliferate and form complex biofilm communities. Legionella bacteria, which cause Legionnaires’ disease, are one of the greatest concerns from a public health standpoint because infections are often lethal and cooling towers are the most frequently reported non-potable water source of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks (Llewellyn 2017).
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A Comparative Study Of On-Line And Laboratory TOC Analyzers For Analysis Of Raw And Finished Drinking Water4/5/2013
Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis is an important indicator of water quality throughout the drinking water treatment process. Raw source water is progressively treated in chemical coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration steps to remove particulate matter and natural organic matter (NOM).
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Dosing Of Sodium Hypochlorite Solution For Drinking Water Disinfection9/22/2022
A water purveyor was in urgent need of a chemically resistant flow instrumentation with a long life of service that allowed reliable and long-term stable dosing of the sodium hypochlorite solution.
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Leak Detection On Water Distribution Network Using Clamp-On Flowmeters5/22/2023
A global engineering company realized that their leak identification methods were time consuming and expensive, and so began to explore alternative solutions, such as ultrasonic flow meters.
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Ion Exchange Resins Reduce Pollution From Refineries12/23/2013
A single operational oil and gas refinery produces millions of gallons of contaminated wastewater a year, leading to environmental pollution concerns. Ion exchange resins are a metal- and ion-removal solution to help clean this wastewater for plant reuse or safe disposal. This application guide explains how resins can be used to demineralize refinery water in process, boiler, and cooling water applications.
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Cloth Media Filtration Removes Coal Ash And Coal Fines At Power Plants1/15/2019
Coal-fired power plants generate coal fines and coal ash from a number of sources, including coal combustion residuals (CCR), particularly fly and bottom ash from coal furnaces, and coal pile runoff during rain events. In support of an industry-wide effort to reduce, improve, and remove coal ash ponds, a variety of technologies have been tested and employed. Read the full application note to learn more.
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Harmonics Reduction Methods4/17/2017
There are several basic methods for reducing harmonic voltage and current distortion from nonlinear distribution loads such as adjustable frequency drives (AFDs). Following is a description of each method, along with each method’s advantages and disadvantages.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
With all the environmental challenges facing us today, doing everything we can to conserve and preserve our water is imperative. As you know, tens of thousands of leaks go undetected, equating to a staggering 6 billion gallons of water loss daily in the United States. To help combat this water loss, we have developed a program that provides you with the tools and knowledge to help find those undetected leaks. Our program is Leak Detection Pilot Program, and we want to partner with you.
The AFC SEMPER® RPM featuring "Lift & Shift" capability is an ideal solution for pressure monitoring, transient analysis, fire flow testing, customer pressure concerns, and hydraulic model calibration. This flexible installation method allows the use of a smaller number of units to cover a large area with the advantage allowing utilities to move their RTU’s quickly and easily without having to reconfigure the application or retrofit existing assets.
ClorTec T systems easily control sodium hypochlorite production and provide a powerful disinfection method for any application. T systems meet requirements for 2 to 36 lb/day (0.9 to 16 kg/day) chlorine equivalent. Applications include potable water, wastewater, odor and corrosion control, cooling towers, oxidation and swimming pool disinfection.
Pre-engineered, fully automated, low maintenance system for applications with average flows of 1 MGD or less; and up to 4 MGD. Proven FlexRake technology is paired with a perfectly-sized washer compactor to seamlessly remove, clean, compress and discharge screenings 10 ft in any direction.
C6P offers up to six optical channels for highly versatile, simultaneous fluorescence measurements in one rugged submersible package. Built for extended deployments, it supports complex field studies in diverse aquatic environments. Rated to 600 meters, with customizable channels, built in datalogger and robust construction, C6P is trusted by oceanographers and environmental scientists for multi-parameter monitoring campaigns.
Recordall® Disc Series meters are an accurate, cost-effective solution for your metering needs. These positive displacement meters utilize the industry-leading nutating disc technology to drive accuracy and reliability.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![Digital communication-GettyImages-2042965298]( "Beaverton's New AMI Solution Checks Every Box: Operations, Billing, Service, And Savings")
This Q&A follows the Webinar: Beaverton's New AMI Solution Checks Every Box: Operations, Billing, Service, & Savings hosted by Water Online on October 21, 2025. The webinar featured the leadership team from Beaverton Water Division as they discussed lessons learned across operations, billing, and customer service, offering a 360-degree perspective on implementing and managing an AMI system.
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![Digital communication-GettyImages-2042965298]( "AI, Data Centers, And Water")
Amid the AI-fueled gold rush, more leaders are beginning to pay attention to the short- and long-term natural resource concerns, especially around all the water needed to keep data centers running.
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![Money down drain-GettyImages-171578755]( "Is This The End Of Affordable Water?")
Water pricing often fails to reflect scarcity, quality, or long-term risk, forcing companies to act internally. But this action is not being done in a vacuum. The ripple effect of internal water pricing is bound to impact water utilities, and ultimately, ratepayers and consumers. -
![PFAS Label on hundred dollar bill-GettyImages-2193126716]( "PFAS Settlements: Debunking The Myths And Revealing What's Really At Stake For Water Utilities")
Misinformation and confusion could prevent some utilities from benefitting from the aqueous film-forming foam multidistrict litigation (AFFF MDL) settlements. Here are five common myths about the AFFF MDL PFAS settlements and how public water systems can make the most of this unprecedented funding opportunity. -
![0421_Honduras_Barrio El Rosario-0030]( "Safe Sanitation For Students: 2025 World Toilet Day")
Every year on November 19, Water Mission observes World Toilet Day — a day designated by the United Nations to focus on the importance of safe sanitation for all.
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![energy flow, data transmission, technological connectivity-GettyImages-2240709017]( "2026 Water Utility Outlook: Regulation, AI, And Resilience In The Face Of Scarcity")
Global Water Outcomes expert notes that “water utilities are facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities,” citing the role of digital solutions moving forward.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
More than 100 beers were on tap during the Xylem beer tasting event in New Orleans. While each beer had it’s own flavor, every beer was brewed with one special ingredient… reuse water. Watch the video to learn more.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.